Washing machine



Feb. 3, 1942. H. G. SUTTON 2,272,027

WASHING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zhwentor C(ttomegs Feb. 3, 1942. H su'r'rz gu 2,272,027

WASHING MACHINE Filed April .3, 1940 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 3nventor Gttomegs Feb. 3, .1942. HQSUTTQN 2,272,021

' WASHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 7 Filed April 3, 1940 iSnventor Gttomegs Patented Feb; 3, 1942 United States Hoflman Machinery Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Del-' aware Application April 3, 1940, Serial No. 327,215

3 Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines for dry cleaning by the use of evaporative cleanins fluids.

Machines of the prior art are often subject to unsightly leakage of fluid over the machine front. The present invention aims to avoid such leakage by providing a liquid return to the tub into which liquid flowing along, an open door or from clothes removed-from the washing cylinder may drain and be returned to: the liquid supply. It is also proposed to combine with the liquid control system semi-automatic means for filling or refilling the tub and to provide for safety and I convenience of operation;

Numerous advantages will appear from'the following specification. In the drawings; Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of washing machine embodying the present invention, the view indicating in dotted lines the location of the washing cylinder and tub. in the machine casing;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially'on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional View, on an en'- larged scale, of the washer door and the liquid overflow return structure which is an important feature of the invention; c Fig. 4 is a face view of the double door assembly of the washer; v

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the complete washer, together with the tanks and piping which provide for draining of the washer and refilling of the same; i

Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly in section, of'

" l2 and I3, a front panel l5 and a rear panel l4.

An arcuate member 16 enclosed by these panels and sealed thereto forms the usual washing machine tub, in which thewa'shing cylinder rotates. This cylinder, of the overhung type, includes a perforated cylindricalwall l'l having a closed rear wall orhead' l8 attached to a s5 spider I9 carried by a shaft 2t rotatablein' a bearing 22. The rear panel 4 carries stiffening members 23 which support the bearing 22 and I adriving motor 28 which actuates the shaft 2| through a belt 21 and worm gearing 26. The shaft 2| is sealed with respect to the rear panel by a packing 24 carried in a removable panel 'of the machine, and by providing a receptacle section 25. [The cylinder is closed at the front by a head or wall 29 havinga central access opening 3| bounded by anoutstanding marginal flange 32, and contains radial flights or ribs which give the clothes to be washeda cascading movement during rotation of the cylinder.

The forward wall l5 of the machine casing contains an opening in alignment with the cylinder opening" 3|" and this opening contains a door frame 34 in the form of a casting having a front stiffening flange 35 which overlies the 4 margin of the opening in the casing and is attached to the casing by bolts or rivets. 36'. Flange 32 on the cylinder projectsinto the door frame 34 to prevent .pinching of goods between the cylinder and the door frame.

The door frame 34 is adapted, to support two doors, the inner door 52 being mounted on a web 49 formed integrally with the casting '34.

The door seals against a' flange 33 extending entirely around the opening and eccentric with respect to the-outer door opening and the cylinder opening 3|. Hence it is wider at the bot- ,tom'of the door opening than at'other points and provides a web 5|. The web 5|. is in spaced relationto web 49 which supportsthe door 52.

The space between these webs'49 'and 5| is in communication with the interior of the .washing machine tub 7 through a drainage opening- 58,

so'that any liquid overflowing the web 5| or escaping from door 52 into this space may flow back into the tub without running over the outside of the casing. 4 1 The frame 34 also supports the outer door 31 through hinges'38, pintle ll and a Y-shaped bar 39; The door is attached to'the 'bar '33 by'bolt I 42, the'bar being recessed at 44 to receive a spring 45' which affords a resilient connection between thebar and the door. 'Latchbar 4Ii carrying handle 48 cooperates with keeper 4'! to lock thedoor.

The inner door prevents"liquid from. being splashedfagainst the outer door and is preferably of elliptical form to minimize such splashing. The elliptical opening has its top margin conforming. to the circular portion of the' top of the outer door, sothat 'liquidsplashed by the flights as they strike the liquidsurfaceis prevented from escaping. The door 52 is held in latched position by a latch 54 pivoted at 55 and cooperating with a dependent stop 56 on frame 34. The outer door is provided with interference lugs 51 which may straddle the latch handle 54 in its locked position only, to insure that the outer door cannot be latched until the inner door is in closed position, and latched.

' Inasmuch as the machine during its operation splashes liquid against the inner door as each rib in the cylinder strikes the surface of the liquid in the cylinder, it is desirable to provide for the drainage of the liquid back into the system. The door is arranged for this purpose to swing about horizontal hinge 53 and into a sump 58, as indicated in Fig. 4. The sump is carried at the front of the casing by supporting member 68 and flange 35 on casting 34. Liquid drain ing from this sump passes through openings 64 in false bottom 62 and then through connection 6I to a drain tank 63 vented at 8I, see Fig. 5. The sump 58 is of suflicient capacity to hold a full charge of articles removed from the washing cylinder, and permits drainage of the same while a new charge is being placed in the washing cylinder, or during a subsequent washing operation.

In practice it is advisable to provide the washing machine with emptying and refilling means, as well as means for taking care of the overflow of liquid from the machine tub. Such a system is disclosed in Fig. of the drawings, wherein there is included a storage tank 66 for cleaning fluid, this tank having the usual vent 61. Pipe 65 is an overflow connection from the washer tub, whereas line I3 is a drain connection for the tub leading to the drain tank 63. Interposed in the lin I3 is a trap 14 for buttons or the like, this trap discharging into line 16, 18 which includes control valves 15 and I8. A pump 11 connected to line I6 may be actuated to return liquid either from the drainage tank 63 or from the line I3 to the storage tank 66 through line 68.

When the washer is operating, valve I5 will be closed, and valve I8 may be opened when liquid is to be pumped to the'storage tank. Both valves may be opened to drain the washer tub or valve I8 may be closed and valve I5 opened to drain the tub to the pump and thence return the liquid to the storage tank. A line 68 connected to the bottom of tank 66 forms a filling connection for the washer tub and contains a valve 83 for controlling the flow of liquid from the storage tank to the tub, and this valve is biased toward closed position. Manual means are provided for opening the valve 83, and automatic float controlled means for latching that'valve open, if opened when the liquid level in the tub is low but not latching it if the liquid level is substantially up to overflow connection 65. This controlling mechanism, shown in detail in Figs, 6 and 7, includes a float chamber II connected with the bottom of the tub'through a liquid level equalizing connection 82. The valve '83 is biased to closed position by a pair of springs 85 reacting between a stirrup 86 attached to the float'chamber, and forks 81 of a lever 88 pivoted at 88 and connected to a valve actuating lever 84 through a link MI. The lever 84 has at one end a cam surface I2, which serves as a latch for the valve 83 to hold the valve open when the liquid 'level is low, and which is responsive to a float 84 in chamber 1 I.

The lever 88 includes an arm I82 which may be actuated by hand lever 83. This hand lever 83 is pivoted at I88 and biased to the position shown by a 'spring I88 acting on a lever III. A rod I85 pivoted to lever 83 is in sliding engagement with a guide I83 containing a slot I81 for cooperation with a block I86 pinned to the rod I85. The guide I88 is attached to the arm I82 at I84. When the valve 83 is closed by spring 85, and the hand lever is released, the block I86 occupies the end of the slot I81 as indicated.

Movement of the handle 83 to the left opens the valve 83 against the bias of springs 85.

It is desirable to provide for automatic filling of the tub to a proper level in response to movements of the float 84 in the chamber II. With the arrangement shown, th valve '83 may be opened by valve lever 83 at any time regardless of the position of the float 84. If the level is too low when the valve 83 is opened, roller 88 carried on the lower arm 88, of lever 8| engages the cam I2 to hold the valve open. When the float rises to actuate the arm 85 and move it against stop 82 on the arm 8|, the roller is caused to swin to the right and release the cam I2 permittingsprings 85 to close the valve. In its lowermost position the float lever 85 engages a stop 86 on the top of the float chamber and permits engagement of roller 88 and the cam I2. Stop 88 on the lever 85 limits the movement of lever arm 8| toward the left. Consequently, when the valve 83 is opened manually by manipulation of lever 83, it will be closed at once by springs 85 upon release of handle 83, if the roller 88 occupies the position shown, that is if the liquid in the tub is at proper level as determined by the float 64 in its extreme upward position. If the liquid level is down, the float is below its extreme upward position, and the roller 88 will engage cam I2 to hold the valve open until the liquid reaches a tion of the motor only so long as the switch handle is held against biasing means when the outer door is unlatched.

The switch I28 has a lever I28 which may be actuated 'by switch handle I82 through member I21 and fork I3I, the "on position being indicated in full lines in Fig. 9; Attached to the member I21 and movable with the switch handle is a lever I25 having an adjustable stop I26. Attached to this lever I25 is a rod I22, the weight of which tends to bias the switch to the dotted line position of Fig. 9 but is insufficient to move it. The rod I22 carries a block I2I which is slidable in a slot I23 in guide II8, carried by rod II8. Rod H8 is connected to one end of lever II6 pivoted at the back .of the casing at III. The connection is completed by rod I I 5, shaft I I4 and lever H3 at the front of the casing. The lever II3 carries a pin II2. When the door is latched, the latch 46 engages the pm I I 2 to move the parts to the position shown in Fig. l, in which the stop I28 in guide H8 is lifted free of the block I2I, and to permit free movement of the switch handle from one position to another. The switch will remain where placed until the latch 4a is released by handle as. When the late as is released, the weight of the parts is su-flicient to move the stop I20 against block l2! and to move the arm I25 to the dotted line positionof Fig. 9. In this latter position, the switch may be 5 sage to the tub between said web and the reclosed only so long as it is held-against the bias ailecting the arm I25 and imposed by the weight of the parts above it. Whenever the switch handle is released, under these conditions; the switch is moved to- "off position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9.

In consequence of the features described above, complete freedom of leakage of cleaning fluid over the machine casing is avoided, .semi-autobottom above the liquid level in said tub, and a maticrefilling of the washer tub with cleaning fluid is provided for, and continuing operation of the driving motor with the machine door open 'O1 otherwise in improper condition is avoided. The motor may, however, be started with the outer door unlatched, by holding the switch closed. This makes it .possible to bring the washing cylinder to any desired position for an' unloading operation.

The details described are for purposes of iilustration only and are capable of variation with in the scope of the claims without departing from 1 the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising a casing having a liquid containing tub; an overhung perforate cylinder rotatably mounted in said tub, said cylinder having an access opening in its end remote from its mounting; a door frame member mounted in said casing in front of the opening in the end of the cylinder. said frame member having an inwardly spaced web which is close to the end of the cylinder and defines at least the lower portion of an elliptical opening whose major axis is horizontal and whose lower margin is 0 above .the level .of liquid in the tub; and two doors, an inner door for closingsaid elliptical opening and an outer and larger door sealing against said door frame, there being a drain pasmainder of the door frame..

2. A washing machine comprising a casing having a liquid containing tub; a perforate cylinder rotatably mounted in said tub, said cylinder 10 having. an access Opening in one end; a door frame member carried in said casing in front of the opening in said cylinder, said member having an elliptical opening adjacent saidcylinder with its longer axis horizontally disposed and its second opening at the front and spaced from the first; a door for each of the openings in the door frame member; a liquid sump disposed forwardly of and below the level of said doors and into which the door for the elliptical opening swings and into which all liquid from said door drains when the door is in open position; a liquid drain tank; and means for delivering liquid from said sump to said tank. I

' 3. In a washing machine of the horizontal cylinder type, a casing having a door opening therein; a liquid containing tub in'said casing; a drum mounted in said casing and arranged to rotate in the liquid in said tub, said drum having an opening in one end and in substantial alignment .with the opening in the casing; and means including two independent spaced non-rotatable doors hinged to the casing, one inwardly of the other and each independently of the other sealmg the opening in the casing, said means including -a drain passage for returning to the tub any liquid which may escape from the inner door opening.

HARRY G. BUTTON. 

